Contributed by Ryan L. Schaaf
Gaming and the Digital Generations
Have you ever observed a person playing a video game? Have you ever witnessed the intense range of emotions, extreme task commitment, engagement, and focus players experience as they smash buttons and hold on to their game controllers for dear life? Personally, I do not have to look very far to witness such a scene. My two sons love to play video games and passionately tackle the many storylines and challenges they experience on a minute-by-minute basis.
Each year, the gaming industry breaks all of its own records and metrics. From the broadening of its players’ demographics to its steady growth in sales, digital games have become a ubiquitous part of today’s world. The members of the always-on generation are growing up with literally hundreds of ways to consume and produce information using media.
The digital games of today are visually appealing, contain immersive stories, and encourage both single and team gameplay. Today’s digital games are products of an incredibly powerful and flexible market that have helped spawn a gaming culture. Today there are roughly 2 billion people in the world that play games – 2 billion people with something in common and that see some sort of benefit for spending hours upon hours engaging in their digital experiences. Read more.
About the Author:
Ryan Schaaf is the author of Reinventing Learning for the Always-On Generation, Game On, and A Brief History of the Future of Education. As a professor and award-winning author, Ryan wants to help educators reach all learners. Before higher education, he was a teacher, instructional leader, and mentor. In 2007, he was nominated for Maryland Teacher of the Year. Ryan’s passion is helping teachers, students, and education leaders see the potential of using modern-day pedagogy and tools for instruction and how to leverage their potential for powerful learning experiences amongst diverse learning populations. His mission is to engage audiences in taking the necessary steps to prepare students for their bright futures.
Ryan will be presenting at the following sessions:
